


I Know You By Heart || Niall Horan AU

by prismdreams



Category: One Direction (Band), niall horan - Fandom
Genre: Abuse, Alexandra Daddario - Freeform, Alpha Niall Horan, Angst, Angst and Romance, Cute Niall, Drama & Romance, Emotional, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Love, Love/Hate, Making Love, Nashville, Original Character(s), Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, POV Female Character, POV Niall Horan, POV Original Character, Romance, Sex, Slow Burn, Substance Abuse, Tennessee - Freeform, Work In Progress, relationships, sean feris, southern, trigger warning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:14:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26942719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prismdreams/pseuds/prismdreams
Summary: Even if her ankle felt awful, the rest of her body was shivering, when Niall moved away, the shivering turned into chilling. Her skin had goosebumps all over, she blushed, watching him go back to sit on the chair.“You’re good, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.” She said, her eyes, wandering around. “Where’s Liz and Thomas?”“Still out, they’ll be back. Do you want me to let you rest until they get back?”No, she thought, “Umm, I don’t know, you don’t have to.”Niall smiled, stifling a laugh, “Okay, I’ll leave ya alone.”He got up and turned around, “Wait…” she said briskly.Smiling, he turned around, raising his eyebrow, “Yeah?”She rose up, her eyes pleading with him, “Stay, I want you to stay, please.”He took the chair closer to her and sat down, placing his elbows on his knees, leaning closer to her, “Alright then, I’m staying.”Full Summary inside. NiallxOC AU.
Relationships: Niall Horan & Original Female Character(s), Niall Horan/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** _When Irish import Niall Horan decided to take on Nashville, Tennessee, it gave him the much-needed grounding he longed to have away from the posh city life back home. Immediately, he thought he was in way over his head. New town, new faces, new life, it scared him. He didn't plan on opening his heart to anyone. Until his host family gave him a chance to re-evaluate his priorities._

_City staple Malena Spano thought she found what she wanted, but it took a turn for the worst and now she was back to square one left to pick up the pieces. Willing to do anything to salvage her sanity, she made a drastic change that may have put her in even more danger than she was before, if possible. Before he came along, not much had made sense, now if only she could close her heart off long enough until he left for Ireland, but she was never one to control what her heart wanted. NiallxOC AU._

* * *

* * *

Niall Horan grabbed his passport and exited the plane, feeling an odd shiver that strangely was lacking on board. Normally it was colder inside the aircraft than outside.

He hated planes, they always made him feel claustrophobic and he rarely slept on them because of it. His heart raced and he felt like he couldn't breathe. This change was massive. He was uprooting his life in Mullingar, Westmeath for this opportunity: a rural community with a rich history.

As a college student living abroad, he'd heard many great things about Nashville, mostly from all the country music his mother listened to.

The student exchange program was the best way to experience life in the southern part of America. He had been to New York when he was little. He remembered his father flew him and his brother to Manhattan and never forgot the culture shock he felt from his first time in the US. Even since then, he dreamed of exploring certain parts of the country he always wanted to.

He checked his itinerary, feeling out where he needed to go first before checking in with his host family. Thankfully, they were a private bunch, that was what drew Niall to choosing to them to stay with.

He fixed up his reading glasses when he bent down to pick up his bags, taking a rideshare towards the town he planned on living in.

On the way there, he found himself staring out the window. The skies were greying, getting set up for a night of heavy rain. He'd lived in a place where it rained nearly all year round, he could just sense it coming. Only Ireland wasn't as mucky and humid, some days, mostly it was raining, bitterly cold, and extremely windy.

When he arrived, he took his bags out, thanked the driver, and walked up the dirt road toward the residence he was told to by the American sponsor he verified with. The house was very simple. Two-story, short windows, green shutters, and a distinctive red door.

He walked up with his bag and knocked on the door, looking around the setting, memorizing the entrance.

The door sprung open to reveal a tiny, elderly woman, brunette hair with a sprouting of greying, crystal blue eyes and a kind smile. She opened her lofty arms before he could say his greeting. He felt his body being hugged tightly but warmly.

"Good evenin' darlin'! Oh my word, so glad you could make it. You are Niall Horan, that right dear?" She asked him, her Tennessee drawl on display.

"Hello," he barely said as she squeezed his torso slightly.

She pulled away and moved so he could step inside.

"Yeah, I'm Niall. Lovely to meet ya. Thank you for this opportunity. Always wanted to live abroad. You're very lovely," he said, slinging his bags off his shoulder as she closed the door.

"I'm Elizabeth Spano, but you can call me Liz, I don't much care for formalities. Welcome to your home!" She said, giving him a small tour of the house.

Niall looked around and found the house to be much smaller than it seemed for a two-story. Inside, it appeared much more comfortable, like it had been lived in for hundreds of years. He assumed there were many stories to be told from the families that have stayed here over the years, or it was just one, passed down from generations. Nashville was certainly a place that would rival the history of most places in the states.

Liz explained that it was only her and her husband who worked nights in the office and came back to tend to the farm life when he could. They only have horses and a few chickens as well as a full garden she started with various vegetables, fruits, and seasonal flowers. Everything smelled so Earthly, Niall's nose was certainly busy with this place already.

She showed him his room and he placed his bags inside. He looked around and smiled at how plain it seemed. It appeared to be the spare room the family had rarely used, maybe an extra family came into town. Niall was grateful it was open to him. He wouldn't mind taking the couch but it was nice to see such hospitality that he could have his own private room when he wanted, with a lock and an attached bathroom with a shower. He was definitely in another world alright.

Things were quiet as Liz allowed Niall to settle in at his own pace. She sure was a talker but she knew when to keep to herself and leave him be to sort himself out. Being from Europe, she could only imagine what a culture shock it must be like to adapt to rural surroundings.

"Are you hungry, dear? I've been in the kitchen preparing a meal for dinner."

He smiled, taking off his coat, placing it in the near-empty closet. "I could eat, thanks."

"Make yourself at home, dear." She said, about to leave when she peeked her head inside, "It'll be ready in 20 minutes."

He nodded, waving at her with a smile as he sat on the bed, hearing the door shut with a soft click. He took a deep breath and leaned back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. It felt good to get away from college life for a little while. Not that he was running away, far from it. He wondered if he would feel homesick, so far, not entirely. Although he was a little anxious to explore life here.

He stood up and began unpacking when his eyes caught framed pictures adorning the walls and the bookcase. He stopped and took a closer look, they looked like old photographs of Liz's grandchildren, perhaps when they were younger, the clothes and hairstyles revealed the dated appearance. He paused when he saw one with a young girl with chestnut brunette hair, bright blue/grey eyes, sitting on the swing, her straight yet wavy hair is done with a band along with the fringe on her forehead. She held a whimsical smile on her face, looking off to the side. He wondered what she was looking at and why this moment was captured.

Shaking his head, he placed the frame back and finished putting away his clothes. He looked around and went to go wash his hands. When he finished he made his way out and joined Liz in the kitchen as she checked over her cooking. She seemed to be in her own world when Niall pulled out a chair but didn't sit down.

"Oh, sorry about that, did hear you coming. Go on, sit, would you like something to drink? We have pretty much everything."

"I'm sure whatever ya got, will be fine. Beer maybe." He shrugged, taking a seat.

Liz eyed him like she was his mother. "Beer? Young man, how are old are again?"

He blushed, slightly, looking down. "Old enough, thank you for that. Me mother thinks I still got me babyface. I don't see it, personally. Am 27."

Liz placed her hand over her chest, giving a shocked expression, "My word, I would _never_ have guessed you were older than 20, goodness, you are just like my grandson, only he rarely visits. I have a granddaughter your age, same story, although, she calls sometimes."

She grabbed the chilled bottle, popped the top, and handed it to him.

"Oh? They live here too?" He wondered, was she the same girl in the picture frame he just saw?

"No, I wish they did. They are grown and a bit too far apart for me to say anything. City life has taken them from me. Although, my granddaughter might come around for the holidays. She loves being here during Christmas."

Niall nodded, taking a swig of his beer, picking at the label, "Oh, that's nice. So it's just you and your husband, yeah?"

"Been that way for years. People grow up, grow apart, leave, and seldom come back."

Niall nodded, wondering what she meant by coming back, "Is it why you do this for exchange students?"

Liz switched off the kettle and poured the steaming liquid in a big mug, joining him at the table, "Somewhat, we miss the company, we like our privacy but it's nice to be around people."

"Makes sense. Well, am glad you chose me. It's raining outside, reminds me a bit of home." Niall gestured out to the already rain-streaked windows.

"Get used to it darlin', we're just hitting our thunderstorm season. Great for the gardens, horrible for the horses. Poor things get so spooked. Thankfully, we shelter our animals in case of an emergency. Just the way of life here." She said, sipping her tea.

He downed the rest of the drink, stood up, and threw it away. He walked back to the table and sat down.

Liz stood up and checked on the food, smelling the top of the pot, giving a small taste test. "Oh great, it's ready. Here, let me serve you, hun."

There was something familiar about how she acted around him, that matronly feeling he would get from elder ladies back home, they all wanted to take care of him. He smiled, watching Liz bring over simple spaghetti and meat sauce, complete with Parmesan shredded on top. And this was the South, she didn't kid around with the cheese portion.

"Thanks, smells great. Sure it tastes it too." Niall said, reaching for a fork before diving in. He closed his eyes and smiled at Liz.

"Enjoying it, hun?"

"It's great, might have more if it's okay?"

"More than okay, there's plenty here for everyone to eat as much as they want. Even Thomas when he comes home."

"What time are ya expecting him?"

"Within the hour. You might meet him sooner. He's picking up some groceries on the way." She said, halfway through her meal.

Niall stood up after eating his second helping and placed his bowel and utensil in the sink, rinsing then off.

He washed his hands and grabbed his drink before finishing that, throwing it in the trash bin.

"Thanks loads, I loved it," Niall said, as Liz finished cleaning off hers.

"You're welcome, sweetheart. If you would like to watch some TV, you can in the living room or if you want to go outside, by all means. All the animals would be in their places. You can go visit the stable if you want."

"That would be lovely," he smiled. "Is it alright if I see it right now?"

"Of course you can! Sun may be down by it's still early in the evenin'. Go on darlin'!" She waved him off, turning on the kettle for another cup of tea.

Niall disappeared outside, feeling the slight drizzling of rain that sprinkled atop his head. He found a pathway to the stable barn and smiled as he saw the horses on both sides of the barn. He passed by one by one, reading off the name of each horse that seemed to all behave despite his lurking.

"Hey guys, I'm talking to yas as if you could hear me, aren't I special?"

His response was a bunch of nays and slight groans coming from a few of them. He watched them basically doze off in some places. They looked like they wanted to sleep, Niall felt like he was intruding.

The smell of manure and dirt-covered hay permeated the barn. It had that Earth-like feel to it that he loved. Irish farms had a similar aromatic atmosphere. Being here really felt like he never left. Nashville folks were definitely more relaxed and down-home. Being here was everything he expected and possibly more.

After he said goodnight and waved to them as if they could hear him, he went down the barn and spotted more lights on, especially on the porch.

An elder man, no older than 65 sat comfortably in a rocking chair, a beer in one hand, cigar in the other. It was like straight out of the boondocks, only he was real.

Niall bowed his head toward the hefty man with the worn trucker hat, acknowledging his bold presence.

"Sir?" Niall said, reaches out his hand toward the man, not changing his rhythmic rocking.

He eyed Niall as if he were studying his body language. Niall felt slightly intimidated by his dark green-eyed stare.

"I know who you are, kid. You one of those youngins I hear about doing this for credit?"

Niall swallowed, he pulled back his hand, "No sir, well, not _just_ that. I'm here because I want the experience. I'm here to work hard."

The man gave Niall another narrowed stare, taking a long drag of his cigar, "Well, look at that, youth isn't wasted on the young after all. God almighty."

"Yes, it's true, Sir. You have my word."

The man stubbed out his cigar and drank the rest of his beer as he stood up with a gruff groan, standing at a tall 6 feet, towering over Niall's stout 5'8" frame. Niall craned his neck to stare up at the man.

"Well I'll be, guess I should just trust you then." He seized him up, testing Niall with a chance to prove him wrong. The man reached out his calloused hand, in front of Niall.

"Call me Thomas, welcome to the family, kid." He said; Niall shook his hand, feeling the strength in his handshake.

"Thanks, won't let ya down, Sir, er, Thomas."

He patted Niall's shoulder and turned around, walking back to the kitchen.

"Holding ya to that, kid," Thomas said, disappearing inside.

Niall tilted his head, figuring he should be on his toes for anything that could happen.

"This is gonna be interesting."


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

Malena Spano opened her car door before checking if everything was there. This wasn't the first time she tried to leave, it certainly wasn't the last time knowing her bad luck.

Her life was supposed to start when she had met Eric. Living with him had been a huge mistake, so was kissing him with her eyes so tight that first time.

The worst part was: she hated that she still cared for him. Maybe it was her hope that he could change, be a better person, quit messing around, but she was fooling herself for too long. She decided she couldn't live like that anymore. Her first real relationship and it was a failure, her dad warned her to trust her instincts.

In this case, she trusted her battle wounds. Driving from Chicago to Nashville was a desperate move, but she had to do it if she wanted to leave her toxic situation. She saved some money, waiting tables, and kept a saving on the chance that she could and would escape. Thankfully, she had, and hopefully, her life would change from here on.

She thought about calling her Grandma Elizabeth, Granny Liz, as she called her. But she didn't want her Gran to worry, which she did often. Confessing her problems was not in the cards, she couldn't imagine the storm that would hit hard if she found out the truth. It's better her problems stay buried in the Windy City than to carry them with her.

Malena wasn't sure if she had taken her phone charger. She hesitated, did she want to go back inside? Maybe this last time, she knew where it was so she jogged back inside and grabbed it off the kitchen counter, taking one last look at the place she once called home but was now a prison she wanted to break from.

Her hand shook but she still shut the door and bolted out to her Honda, flinging the door open and throwing herself inside as if she was being chased. And she was, mentally, probably for the rest of her life.

And the sad part is while turning the ignition, was that she really did still love Eric, and this was somehow, still her fault.

She placed her hands on the stirring wheel after warming up the engine and pulled out of the parking garage. She checked the rearview mirror just in case she was being followed, the coast was clear, for now. She knew this day would come and she wished she could find those lost years and start over again.

Maybe, just maybe she could stop crying herself to sleep.

She drove to the leading interstate, preparing herself for the long, arduous hours on the road ahead. She switched on the radio to keep her mind from shutting down, feeling that she should turn back, give him one more chance to make this work. The withdrawals were seeping in and her brain was conflicted. She pulled over to the side of the road, catching her breath, this was her fault, but it wasn't, was it?

"You're doing the right thing. Don't turn back now. 2 years, 2 fucking years and you made it out. You're here, you deserve better. Don't turn back," she spoke aloud, trying to convince herself to carry out this final decision.

She wiped her eyes, feeling the familiar fatigue that took over, if she could just hold on a few hours, she'd be in rural Nashville again. She took a deep breath and turned the car back on, pulling back on the road. She felt a determination to make it in one trip, no stopping, no breaks, no overnight staying at a motel. If she kept her attention on the road, she wouldn't lose her step.

She switched the station to talk radio, that always kept her mind awake. Someone was always reading dissertations on there, she felt herself calm down.

She turned the key to the ignition and reeved the engine, carefully pulling on the road. She checked her mirrors, she was the only driver on the road and the sun was starting to set. Funny how in the middle of the day, the shorter duration of sunlight already set in, and it wasn't even Winter yet.

Malena bit her lip as she tried to block out what she was leaving behind. Trying to accelerate any new feelings that reminded her that it wasn't her fault. She blamed herself for not telling anyone, for hiding the substance abuse, lying to the police, avoiding public appearances to hide the marks left on her skin. She stared at the long scar on the back of her left hand, trying to shake the memory of self-defense, shivering as she placed that hand on her lap, staring at the road ahead.

She glanced at her phone and grabbed it before she could convince herself otherwise.

She dialed the one number she could trust.

"Hello Grandma Liz, no, everything is okay. Umm, I may be changing my plans for the holidays..."

* * *

Liz hung up the phone as Niall came into the room. She nodded to him as she placed the remaining dishes away.

"Oh, Niall?"

He stopped in the hallway, "Ya alright?"

Liz smiled thinly, "Yes, well, I just got off the phone with my Granddaughter, Malena. Turns out she's coming earlier than we thought. Tonight, actually."

"Well, that's great news, yeah?"

She nodded ominously, "It is, I'm a little concerned though. I know her very well. We do talk and she visits, but she has her own life in Chicago. Something might be wrong, I can feel it."

"Oh, well, hopefully, she's alright. Does Thomas know?"

"I'm telling him now, he may feel the same way. She didn't sound too happy on the phone. Well, alright then, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

Niall nodded, suddenly feeling out of place. He was a bit nervous to meet this girl, he was curious if anything Liz said was true.

"Grand, so, where is Thomas at the moment?" He asked her.

"I'm gonna find him, probably in the coop, checking on our chickies. You're welcome to follow me if you like."

"Oh no, it's alright, unless you want me to, of course. Just wondering, is all," he said, moving aside so she can walk outback.

"Alright then, darlin', if you change your mind, you know where I am," she smiled brightly, waving him off as she disappeared up the hill and towards the barn.

Niall waved back but retreated to the living room, looking around for something to fill the time. He checked out the vast book collection the Spanos had and the tip of his index finger touched on the various titles. It was mostly classics, a couple of biographies, and _National Geographic_ magazines.

He chose a medium-sized book, an older novel about life in the south. It reminded him of _Tom Sawyer_ and _Huckleberry Finn_ , which seemed interesting enough. There wasn't a whole lot to do heading into the evening. He could watch a movie or read but he didn't know what he should do. He would much rather work with Thomas than stay inside. Those horses seemed to pique his interest. He'd barely ridden on a horse and he would like to learn how to properly ride one. Maybe tomorrow he could ask Thomas when it was daylight again.

Niall heard an engine rumbling, it might be Thomas, maybe he could run outside to ask him about riding. He walked outside and stopped in his tracks, but Thomas wasn't alone. He peeked and saw a young woman, a few inches shorter than him, long dark brunette hair tucked inside a hoodie, wearing a blank expression as she pulled up her rundown vehicle until it came to a stop.

She sat there for a long moment and briefly looked in his direction. Niall moved back inside, feeling awkward under her stare, he didn't know what it meant, maybe he made her uncomfortable by watching her when she didn't want to be. As he closed the door he wondered if she was Malena.

He heard Liz outside and looked as she hugged the girl protectively as soon as she stepped out of the car. The girl pulled back and crossed her arms over her chest, looking cold. Thunder rumbled and they walked slowly inside, Niall moved far away back to the study, picking up the book he planned on reading. He felt strange being around this girl. Even weirder, listening to their conversation, but he did, somewhat, because he was just too damn curious.

"Hey guys," the girl said, her slight southern voice tired and strained like she had been yelling all day. "Can I just have some tea?"

"Of course, sweetheart. Here, I'll put the kettle on," Liz said, turning on the kettle as it whistled, and she poured her some tea, bringing it to the table.

A long moment passed and both women were quiet. Malena fidgeted but her face was downcast, Liz tilted her head, concern dripping from her features.

"Malena? Are you alright?"

Niall caught Malena's reaction as she stared down, fiddling with the strings on her hoodie.

"Yeah, I am, umm, I should probably go to bed, been on the road for 6 hours," she said, placing both hands on the table.

 _Jesus_ , Niall thought, watching Malena stand from the table, with her mug in hand. She bent down to kiss her Grandma's cheek.

"Goodnight, thanks for this," she said faintly, Niall moved away so he was completely out of sight and in his room.

He shut the door and went over to his bed, collapsing over it. There was a soft knock on the door, Niall's head rose.

"Yes?" He called out, the door opened and Liz peeked inside, pushing the door more so she could see him.

"There you are. Our granddaughter is here, she just went to bed right now. I'm sorry if any of this disturbed you," she apologized.

Niall rose up to a sitting position, "It's alright, everything okay?"

Liz's face was unreadable but optimistic, "We'll know in the morning. You'll meet her then, eventually." He nodded, she continued, "Spoke to Thomas, he might take you out on the stable tomorrow to tend to our horses."

"Oh yeah? Was just about to ask him that," Niall said, gesturing with his finger.

"Well, if you want some dinner, it won't be long. Shame Malena can't join us, oh well, we'll see to it in the morning. Come out in about 20 minutes, hun."

Niall smiled, waving to Liz as she shut the door, giving him privacy. He was left alone with his thoughts and they all were about Malena. Who was this girl? Why was he so curious? What happened to her?

He opened the book and tried to concentrate on the words in front of him, barely. His mind wouldn't sit still, his curiosity got the better of him. He figured he should just read in the living room, the food will be ready soon anyway.

He closed the book and stood up, opening the door to head to the living room, awaiting dinner.

* * *

Malena was starving but she was also tired out of her mind. She hadn't slept in 2 days let alone eat normally. Eric constantly controlled when and how she ate. He always told her how fat she was and attack the curves on her body. He was right but he didn't have to be so mean to her, but that was Eric, he wasn't the most generous man.

She laid on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. Suddenly, she remembered she had seen a man she didn't recognize living in her Gran's home. Why was he watching her pull up at the driveway just now? Since when do her grandparents host random students? She had no idea who this guy was and now he's staying here. For how long? Who was he? What's his name? Where is he from?

Slowly, she sat up and drank most of her tea, putting it down as she stood up and cracked open the door, watching as this guy in the room next to her walked to the living to sit down and read. Why was she so curious about him? Biting her lip, she moved as she got a better look at him from the hallway, watching him lean back as he began reading one of the books she left behind. She recognized it as one of her favorite books, Gran must have kept all the books she left here over the years. Somehow it made her more curious about him.

"Niall, hun," Liz called out, _so that was his name_ , Malena thought, watching his head turn toward the kitchen. "It's ready when you are."

Malena watched him stand up and walk to the kitchen, thanking Gran and serving himself some good food that smelled amazing. She almost moved forward to try some but held back, Gran's conversation with Niall intrigued her, so she inched closer to hear them properly.

"You like it?" Liz asked him.

"It's amazing. Would Malena like some?" Niall said, Irish accent prominent to Malena.

Liz shook her head sadly, "She's probably asleep by now. I'd take her food but she might not eat it."

"That's too bad, 6 hours on the road? Couldn't believe that when I heard it."

 _He was watching me?_ Malena thought.

"Had a feeling you were curious, she's not talking, I'm so terribly worried about her. I don't know what happened, I just wish I could help her."

Malena watched Niall frown and found herself staring at him, "Well, maybe she'll open up when she wants to. Of course, I don't know her, so I don't really know what she's thinking, but that's what I would do. Just be patient. Be there for her. I saw her outside when she arrived, she may need time to start talking. At least that's what I'm thinking."

Liz sighed and placed her hand over his across the table, "You're a sweetheart, and I know she's hurting. I'll give her time to trust us again. Poor thing is suffering alone."

Malena backed away, heading to her room when she heard something that made her stop in her tracks.

"She's not alone, when she's ready, she'll talk again. I'll go check on her for ya," Niall said, and Malena rushed to her room, climbing into bed before she heard footsteps nearing towards her room.

She shut her eyes and tried to make her breathing even and calm. Her door opened and she lay perfectly still until the door shut again.

She breathed out and pulled the covers off her body. Why did she care if this guy Niall caught her sleeping or not? She shouldn't, they didn't know each other. He can't possibly understand what she was going through. Why was he acting like he did? It made no sense to her.

She plugged her phone in the charger, knowing full well that Eric tried to contact her in some way. He knew people, he would try to find her eventually. It was only a matter of time, and now she's back home, essentially putting her grandparents at risk. Eric didn't hold back on all the treacherous things he's done to her, she can't imagine what would happen to Liz and Thomas, and now this guy Niall. He was at risk too, and she barely knew him. Why did that bother her also?

Malena's face contorted, no, she wasn't going to cry, or go back to Eric's abuse. It wasn't love no matter what she was told. To think, she was going to marry him. Eric would have manipulated her into a shotgun marriage, there was no doubt.

She booted up her phone, seeing no messages yet since she blocked Eric's number and another phone he had in secret. She went through her contacts and scanned for her father's number.

She began typing out something for him to keep him updated on where she is.

 _Hey Dad_ _,_  
 _I'm back home with Granny Liz and Papa Tom_  
 _I'm okay and safe_  
 _I'll call you soon_  
 _I miss you, I love you so much, take care_ ❤️

She placed her phone down and turned her light on. She wasn't going to get any sleep tonight. She might as well stay up until her body eventually gave out.

_"You're nobody, you're nothing without me. Pick that shit up and get dinner ready by 7, sharp."_

Eric's harsh words flashed in her mind and she froze in fear, still feeling the hard slap on her cheek, her hand touching her skin as it burned in the memory. _  
_

 _He's still here, he's outside, he'll find me. He'll come here and hunt me down. He'll hurt everyone, I have to run away. I have to get away from here, to save them,_ she thought, her breathing sped up as she flung up the door and bolted as fast as her feet can carry her out of the room and straight into the downpour of the hard rain.


	3. Chapter 3

* * *

Niall sprinted right behind Malena, as soon as he saw her determined to make things worse for herself.

He gained sped as she slowed down, almost falling on the muddied pavement, but Niall was quick to catch her before she fell.

"No! Please, don't touch me, no, it's not safe. He will find me, everyone, you, it's not safe!" She exclaimed, trying to pull away from him, but it only made him pull her closer.

"Who's coming after ya? What's going on?" He urged.

Malena huffed and managed to pull her hands away, "It's none of your business. Take your hands off of me!"

"That's not what I was—"

"What's going on?" Thomas roared, coming out from behind them. "Malena? It's pouring out, what in God's name are you doing out here?"

Niall looked between both of them and realized he had to say something, "She was just showing me where the chicken coop is."

Malena squinted, _why was he covering for me_? She asked herself.

"In the rain?" Thomas asked them suspiciously.

Malena wiped her wet forehead and went along with it, "Yeah, he didn't know, so I showed him. I'm done now."

She moved past both men and went back inside to dry off, brushing off her Gran's barrage of questions.

Niall was about to head back inside when Thomas stopped him.

"Do I need to worry about you, boy? I know what I know. I see what my own two eyes see. Something you need to tell me?" He nodded, challenging him.

Niall shook his head, keeping Malena's vague secret buried for now. It wasn't his secret to tell even though it worried him.

"No, sir, she just wanted to show me the barn," he said, trying again to pass off those words authentically.

Thomas's hard eyes locked on his, he looked like he didn't buy it, but waved him off nevertheless, "Get inside, boy."

Niall said nothing, moving back inside, shaking off his wet hair as Liz handed him a towel to dry off. Liz looked at him with sad eyes, wondering what happened just now.

"Are you alright?" Liz asked, taking off his jacket to hang up and moving his shoes away, taking his wet socks to the hamper.

"Yeah, everything's alright," he said, unsure himself if that was really true.

"She's locked herself in her room, probably for the rest of the night. I'm so sorry to involve you in this, Niall. I'm sorry this has been an unhappy experience."

Niall sighed, feeling odd himself that he got involved in any of it. Clearly, Malena was running from someone, that was her secret and she didn't want anyone to know. But running away? What would that solve?

"At least she's safe. When she's ready to talk, she will. Excuse me," he said, leaving the living room, turning around to gesture to the bathroom. "Mind if I take a shower?"

"Of course, I'll take your clothes. You can leave them outside the door. I'll make a load tonight," she said, urging him.

"Thanks, Liz," he smiled and disappeared into the bathroom to start his shower.

* * *

Malena was certain everyone had gone to bed when she opened the door slightly. The entire house was dark and that made her feel a little better. Niall was probably asleep, his door was shut.

It stopped raining, good news for her. She padded her jacket for her cigarettes, a lighter and fixed on her boots before shutting the door gently without a sound.

She tiptoed toward the back door, making sure to sneak out and go to a specific spot she used to hide in when she was much younger.

She checked around before lighting up one of her cigarettes, blowing out all the stress and frustration brought on with these traumatic flashbacks. They were going to keep coming, she was sure of it. What was she going to do? She was afraid to go to sleep, being at her most vulnerable, that was the last thing she wanted to do, especially if she wanted to start over.

"Hey," a familiar Irish accent said behind her.

Malena shut her eyes and took another long drag, blowing smoke out through her nostrils. She looked at him with his hands stuffed inside his jean pockets. 

She felt his eyes on her and found herself glaring at him briefly.

"Why did you do that?" She asked him, taking another puff, nearly finishing her bud. "Lie to my Grandfather?"

"You wanted me to, it's not my place to say anything," he said, she shifted her eyes to him, narrowing them in confusion.

"My Grandpa doesn't like lies, even worse, he _hates_ liars. He'll find out you lied for me, he'll probably send you away. You shouldn't have done that," she said, gravely, with no emotion, stubbing out her cigarette and lighting up another one. Why did she care if he was being kicked out because of her?

Niall shifted on the balls of his feet, saying his final peace with this girl.

"It's done. Look, I'll leave you alone while I'm here, they won't know what you said to me and I won't ask ya. If that's what you want. Just to make things easier. I'm sorry if I... _hurt_ you earlier. You were running away, and I reacted badly, it's none of my business, you're right." Niall said, turning to leave.

"Wait..." Malena halted his momentum, he stopped at her request but didn't turn around.

"I heard what you said to Liz, thank you. You didn't have to say that, we don't know each other at all. I wasn't asking you to speak up for me, but I'm grateful that you did. They wanna know... _everything_ , and I just, I don't want to make things worse."

He sighed, looking like he wanted to respond but hesitated.

"Goodnight," Niall said, heading back inside through the sliding door.

Malena watched him walk away without looking at her, feeling empty. Everything they said to each other had been right, so then why did she suddenly feel incomplete? She took another drag, blowing the smoke out furiously.

Another rude guy to put on her list to avoid. What else is new? Men are pretty useless, they always hurt whoever they want, whenever they want, and don't feel empathetic in the slightest. This guy Niall was no different. She would have to do a better job of making herself invisible while she stayed here. Maybe people could leave her alone as she cried herself to sleep.

Tears fell down her face but she was numb to them. She took another long puff and stubbed out her cigarette, feeling the cold air hit her cheeks. Maybe if she ate something, she would feel better. 

She went back inside and walked straight to the kitchen, grabbing a snack. She knew there was a full meal already made that she could reheat, but she didn't want to make any noise with the microwave.

She pulled out bread, mayo, mustard, and simple sandwich ingredients, excluding lettuce and tomato, too much noise and she didn't have the energy. She made a quick sandwich and grabbed a beer from the fridge.

She sat down at the dinner table, eating silently as she thought about what Niall said. She swallowed slowly and drank a long swing of her beer. Niall knew her secret, more or less, but he promised to not say a word to her grandparents. She rolled her eyes, taking another bite, placing her sandwich down. His word meant nothing to her. They didn't know each other from Adam.

She wiped her mouth with her napkin gently and drank from her bottle. Shaking her head, she realized what a mistake it was to come here. Of all the times to host rude students from Ireland, they had to pick now, in the worst of her life. 

She stuffed the rest of the sandwich in her mouth and leaned her chin on her palm. She can't believe she thanked him out of nowhere and he just stood there like an asshole and left. Regret ate at her insides. _Fuck him, fuck all guys,_ she thought, drinking the rest of her beer and tossed it in the trash, washing her hands.

She went to the couch, slipping off her boots, and laid down, facing the back of the couch. She was wide awake and feeling as broken as ever. If she made another run for it, would Niall stop her again? Maybe not, but Papa Tom might. He was onto both of them and Niall would get in trouble if he found out they lied to him.

She cried silently, closing her eyes tightly as tears streamed down her cheeks. Maybe it was everything happening to her this day that was getting to her so much. Will tomorrow be better?

She didn't know, falling asleep without despair was something she would have to earn. For now, she hugged the couch cushion, too exhausted and drained to drag herself to her bed.

* * *

Niall yawned and checked the time before getting up and walking to the bathroom. After he finished, he left but stopped in the hallway as he saw Malena huddled up in a ball on the couch, no blanket covering her body or pillow under her head.

 _That's not ideal_ , he thought, scratching his head as he walked around the couch to check on her, he wondered why she decided on this sleeping arrangement.

Her face twitched as she moaned, looking to be in a deep dream. He sighed and was about to turn around until he heard something that made him stop.

"Don't hurt me, please, don't..." she whispered, eyes still closed as her hands gripped the cushion as if it was going to rip it to shreds.

Niall didn't want any part of this, he swore to himself and to Malena that he would avoid her completely.

But he knew himself better than that.


	4. Chapter 4

* * *

Malena groaned, feeling warmer than she felt going into the night. She felt like she actually slept a little, but she touched a mattress instead of the couch she remembered passing out on.

Malena blinked a few times before she rose up, looking around, she was in her room. When did she back? Did she take herself to bed and not recall when? Maybe, she was tired but she could see that happening. Was she carried to bed? The slightest movement would wake her up, not possible. But she was truly exhausted, slipping into a deep sleep.

She realized she was still in her clothes, she more than likely dragged herself here sometime last night. She groaned, sitting up completely. Bits and pieces of the night were coming back, but overall, most of the night was forgotten.

She moved the covers off and stood up, rubbing her eyes as she yawned. She looked in the mirror, finding it difficult to look at her face. She laid out some clothes over the half-made bed.

She opened the door and fetched two towels and went to the bathroom, making sure it was free, it was, she closed and locked the door. She stripped off and stepped inside the shower, closing the curtain. She made sure it was shorter than normal, even though the hot water felt amazing on her shivering body. The morning draft had gotten to her.

She shut off the water, finishing the shower, and stepped out into a towel, securing it around her body, the other towel wrapped around her hair.

She unlocked and opened the door, walking to her room to change. She slipped on her clothes, jeans and a long-sleeve shirt, and hung up her wet towels on the coat hooks in the closet door.

She took out the blow dryer, styling her hair to make it look presentable. Her hair never looked decent but she tried her best. At least it didn't look puffy and unmanageable this time. She left it down, falling past her shoulders, tilting her head as she glanced in the mirror. She never liked what she saw, maybe it was something to do with her big cheeks, tiny forehead, thin lips, and bugged eyes. Eric used to say she had fat cheeks and she agreed, but he referred to them as obese, she shook her head, this kind of thinking was getting her nowhere.

Her stomach rumbled and she knew it was time to eat. Walking to the kitchen, she found it empty and a note left on the counter. She picked it up to read.

_Out for groceries_   
_Back in 15mins_   
**Granny Liz**

Malena placed the note away and turned the kettle on, preparing her tea. She got out some cereal and poured some milk inside, waiting for the kettle to finish. When it whistled, she made her tea and sat down at the table.

She finished part of the cereal and rinsed her bowl and placed it in the dishwasher. She went back to the table, sat down, and sipped her tea.

The house was too quiet, didn't she want it that way? Maybe, but maybe not. She was curious about what Papa Tom and Niall were up to. Probably doing some alpha chore with the hay bells.

She stood up and placed her mug in the washer, washing her hands before stepping outside and walking the trail that led to the stables.

She smiled, looking around the barn, touching all the horses she grew up with until she reached her childhood horse, Sugarcane. Malena named her that on the day they met, the day Malena had smelled candy canes with this particular horse, then a pony, kept drawing toward her, like a protector. Malena knew Sugarcane was her horse from then on.

She grabbed a helmet, a saddle, and began preparing herself for a quick ride to clear her head. It had been years since her last ride, she was more thrilled than anxious. Maybe this was what she needed to calm her nerves.

"Hey girl, remember me?" She asked, feeling her coo and nay as she brushed the wisps of her light brown mane.

The rest of Sugarcane was caramel in color, she had grown so much over the years, Malena smiled as she walked her horse outside the stable and turned around to stroke her cheek.

She leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "Ready to go, girl?"

A soft nay was her response as she nestled her nose in Malena's hair. She giggled, moving around to place her foot into the holster, hoisting her body up and around so she was straddling her back properly.

Malena led Sugarcane out of the barn and tapped her feet lightly triggering Sugarcane to gallop faster. She started picking up steam as Malena clicked her tongue, making ground through the meadowlands and greener pastures on the other side of the barn, she didn't spot Niall or Papa Tom, maybe that was a good thing.

They rode until she made her stop in front of a tree she remembered laying under when she was a kid. She slowed down, carefully hopping off the saddle, taking off her helmet, and ran her fingers through her hair. The tree had grown bigger the last she had seen it. The trunk was larger and smelled the same since she was last here.

"Stay put, girl," she said and sat down on the incredibly green grass, with her back against the tree.

She leaned back and shut her eyes, looking up, suddenly, she shook in fear, backing away as she watched Eric advancing toward her.

"Thought I'd find you here," he smirked, coming closer. "Why are you hiding?"

"Let me go!" She screamed, pushing his hands away, but he grabbed her shoulders. "Eric, stop!"

He moved back, staring at her with an evil glare, "Who's Eric, love?"

Since when did Eric's voice sound like that? She shut her eyes then popped them open and screamed as Niall knelt down to her level, touching her arm.

"Oh God, it was a dream," she breathed out shakily, covering her face. "Just a dream."

Niall remained confused, "Are you alright?"

Malena felt her mouth go dry. She went to stand up and wiped the sweat that framed her forehead. Niall was near her just in case she lost her balance. She looked dizzy and confused.

Malena focused her eyes, and turned to Niall, "What are you doing here?"

"I saw your horse drift off and brought her back, then I saw you here, you were shouting, you looked scared," Niall said, advancing toward her and she flinched.

Malena grabbed her helmet, fixing it on, "Just stay away from me, like you said, it makes things easier."

She went to her horse but stopped when Niall barely touched her shoulder. She shivered and turned around, backing away with fear in her eyes.

"Please, don't hurt me..." she said, cowering from him and took the reins hanging on her horse.

Niall's eyes narrowed, "I wouldn't do that, ever. What's wrong, Malena?"

She swallowed and forced herself back on the saddle, scrambling to steer her horse correctly, "Stay away from me."

She turned around and tried placing her feet in the stirrup but missed by an inch.

_"You fucking loser. You can't do anything right."_

Her mind was stuck on Eric's words as she was losing control, ignoring Niall's cries, she whipped Sugarcane to stride faster. She realized her mind wasn't linking up to her body, and suddenly, she was completely thrown to the ground, landing directly on her ankle, searing pain taking over.

* * *

Niall returned the horse he began riding back to the stable, making sure to remove everything off his massive back, brushed, groomed, feed, and made certain he was properly strapped in, closing his gate.

"Hey Kid, gonna run to the hardware store to pick up some paint. You good?" Thomas asked, about to turn around to head toward his truck.

"Yeah, no worries. See ya around," Niall said, waving at Thomas who disappeared into his truck, pulling out of the dirt road driveway.

Niall left the stables and nearly stopped mid-step when he saw Malena riding at a fast distance, seeing a bright, carefree smile on her face. He had to admit, she was beautiful when she smiled. She squinted as she slowed her pace to a stop, hopping off the saddle, staring longingly at a particular tree. She looked at it like she was meeting an old friend.

He watched as she slightly smiled, taking off her helmet, and sat calmly down on the grassy knoll against the tree trunk.

She leaned back and shut her eyes, Niall wondered if he should approach her. Then, he saw her horse begin to fuss, and he came forward to bring the stud back to the tree, tying her properly to a high branch.

It was then he looked at Malena resting her eyes. He couldn't help himself as he moved away but still kept in eye-line with her. She blinked her eyes open and moved away, with an unsure look in.

"Thought I'd find you here," he smirked, coming closer. "Why are you hiding?"

When she didn't say anything, he moved closer, she flinched away from him. He moved closer but she huffed, her face raced with panic.

"Let me go!" She screamed, pushing his hands away, but they grabbed her shoulders. "Eric, stop!"

He moved back, staring at her with curious eyes, "Who's Eric, love?"

She looked at him in confusion, shutting her eyes then popped them open and screamed as Niall knelt down to her level, touching her arm.

"Oh God, it was a dream," she breathed out shakily, covering her face. "Just a dream."

Niall remained confused, "Are you alright?"

Malena opened her mouth but closed it with difficulty. She stood up and wiped the sweat that framed her forehead. Niall made sure he was near her just in case she lost her balance. She looked dizzy and confused. He was seriously worried about her.

It took another long moment before she realized he was in front of her.

Malena focused her eyes, and turned to Niall, "What are you doing here?"

"I saw your horse drift off and brought her back, then I saw you here, you were shouting, you looked scared," Niall said, advancing toward her and she flinched again, the fear he saw returning inexplicably.

Malena grabbed her helmet, fixing it on, "Just stay away from me, like you said, it makes things easier."

That wasn't what he meant. He was referring to giving her space because he didn't want to involve himself in issues that had nothing to do with him. But at that point, he truly didn't, he was the only one here and Malena's behavior scared him. He had to at least make sure she was alright.

She went to her horse but stopped when Niall gently touched her shoulder. She shivered and turned around, backing away with even more fear laced in her eyes.

"Please, don't hurt me..." she said, cowering from him and took the reins hanging on her horse.

 _Okay, something is seriously wrong_ , Niall thought, as his eyes narrowed, "I wouldn't do that, ever. What's wrong, Malena?"

She swallowed and forced herself back on the saddle, scrambling to steer her horse correctly, "Stay away from me."

Niall went toward her but it was too late, she turned around and tried placing her feet in the stirrup but missed.

She looked and seemed sloppy, riding as if she lost control, ignoring Niall calling out to her.

He caught up to her close enough to see she whipped her horse to stride faster. Niall's eyes expanded when suddenly, she was completely thrown to the ground, landing directly on her ankle. Hearing her blood-curdling scream was the worst thing he ever heard.

Niall caught up to her, kneeling down as he inspected her before carefully touching her shoulder as she picked herself up, only to collapse down in utter pain. She looked at him in weakness, seeing him watch her, unsure of what to do.

"Christ...I think we need to see what's wrong. Will you let me help you? Where does it hurt?"

Malena swallowed roughly, allowing him to touch her leg, "My ankle, I don't know what happened. She's never done that to me."

Niall moved to inspect her ankle, not to touch but survey, "I have to take your shoe off to see, may I?"

She nodded, feeling tears in her eyes, "Go ahead."

He did as she requested, gently untying her shoe and slipping off her sock, hearing her wince in pain, "I'm so sorry. It looks pretty swollen. We need to call someone, here, I can help ya up."

Malena frowned, she didn't have much of a choice, "Okay."

Niall helped her stand but she fell over as soon as she put weight on her ankle, it was too soon to think she limp on it yet. "I can carry you, lean on me, I'll bring you back inside."

She didn't put up a fight, nor did she have the energy to. Grabbing her shoe and sock, she nodded as Niall opened his arms and dipped to carry her the rest of the way inside, walking until he reached the couch in the living room. He brought her gently onto the couch, taking her shoe away from her as he gave her a pillow to elevate her foot, watching her wince at the fresh pain.

"I'll be back," he said, moving to grab a bag and filled it with ice. "Here, I put a towel over it so it's not too cold."

"Thank you," she whispered, sitting up on her elbows as he placed the ice pack under her ankle. "Ouch, sorry, it just, it hurts a lot."

"Sorry, I'm gonna call someone, okay?" He went to stand up but she boldly touched his hand.

"No, don't leave, Liz is a nurse, she can help. I don't want a doctor here," she said, biting her lip, _and see my bruises and scars_ , she thought. "It's okay, I'm fine until Liz comes home."

Niall smiled sadly, "Alright, I'll sit at the end right here then until they come back."

Malena nodded, crossing her arms over her chest as she turned away, "Of course this happens, of course."

Niall leaned back against the couch, "It was an accident. What were you thinking about?"

Her head jerked to him, eyes wide, "Oh, umm, it's complicated."

Niall nodded slowly, "I understand. It's none of me business to ask ya."

Malena pursed her lips, "I appreciate the concern, though."

"It helps to talk, I find. Me Mam said it's good for you. Keeping it in just makes it worse," he said, a sideways smile on his face.

"Yeah, maybe, it's just, I guess I don't really know where to start. Maybe it'll just go away or—I don't know. I don't want anyone to worry..."

Niall turned his body to face her, " _Should_ they worry?"

She shrugged, grabbing her forehead in slight pain, "Can you grab some Advil? I have a little headache."

"Sure," he said, standing up and walking to the kitchen to fetch some painkillers and water.

He returned, handing them and the water to her, "Here ya go."

"Thanks," she said, taking them, washing them down with the water, and Niall took the water putting it on the coffee table.

He carefully sat down, staring at her as she tried to get more comfortable, struggling at it. _It must hurt her to lay on the couch like that_ , he thought.

"Do you want me to carry you to bed, love?"

Malena stopped moving and realized she was trying to relax but couldn't. The couch just wasn't soft enough.

"Okay, umm, maybe, is that alright?"

"Yeah, it's no problem, you just look really uncomfortable laying there. Here, I got ya," he said, moving to gently pick her up in his arms, holding her securely.

She held onto his neck, almost placing her head on his chest but caught herself. Then, a familiar feeling washed over her, she was thinking he had done this before, had he? Was he the one who carried her to bed last night?

She smiled slightly, feeling safe in his arms, it was strange, she feared him and at the same time, felt protected near him, in the short time she knew him.

He slowly placed her down, pulling away as he stared into her eyes, getting lost in them suddenly.

Malena's heart raced, feeling him over her, "It was you, last night. You brought me here, right?"

He eased up a little, dragging his tongue across his bottom lip, "Yeah, couldn't leave ya there all night."

Malena found herself slipping in his eyes, "Thank you, thought I did it myself."

"No," he said, gruffly.

They both blushed as Niall moved off her, Malena watched him scratch the back of his neck, "Uhm, okay, I'll go get you the ice pack."

She nodded, watching him go fetch her ice compress, thinking over how silly she was being just staring at him, but he was doing the same, oddly.

He appeared quickly at the doorway holding the pillow, and slipped it under her foot first, "Sorry, am I hurting you?"

"Not on purpose," she said, mustering a small smile through the slight pain she felt as he adjusted the position of her foot over the ice pack under her ankle.

The corners of his mouth turned up slightly on her attempt at levity, "I'm so sorry, I was there was more I could do. Feel like it's me fault this happened. I caused this."

As much as she wanted to blame him for being rude and nosy before, it really wasn't his fault, "It's not, it's mine. I wasn't thinking straight, Sugarcane felt it, she knew something was wrong and got spooked. I didn't have time to react rationally. This one is on me."

Niall took a seat on her desk chair and ran his fingers through his hair, "I share some of that responsibility. I pushed you, you already don't trust me. Why would you? We don't know each other. I'm sorry, love."

Malena further leaned back on her pillow, staring at the ceiling, "Don't apologize. At least you didn't leave me there."

"I wouldn't, I'm not that type of person."

She sat up, propping her pillow so she was leaning against it, scaling her eyes to meet his, "Thank you, you don't have to stay here. If you were doing something before, it's fine. Liz is coming home."

"Do you want me to leave?"

 _No, please stay_ , she thought, "I don't know, I mean, if you want to leave, it's fine."

"Do _you_ want me to leave?" He asked again.

She reached out to rub her knee, feeling it fall asleep suddenly. Niall came forward, reaching out his hand, but pulled it back.

"Sorry, I should have ya asked first," he apologized, sheepishly.

She stared at him as he backed away, wondering why he looked scared of her, "It's alright, umm, just a little uncomfortable in my jeans. They're a little tight on my leg with the _sprain_."

"Oh, okay...do you want me to—?"

"I can try getting them off, my hands still work, it's fine, umm, can you turn around, please?" She asked him, sliding her hand to the top of her jeans button.

"Of course," he said, and swiftly turned around staring at something until he heard her struggling, her voice in utter pain.

"Ugh, I hate to ask this of you..." she began.

He looked to the side but didn't turn around, "What's wrong?"

She winced, moving her hair away from her eyes, "Can you help me pull them off?"

Niall turned around completely, looking at her as she unbuttoned her jeans, struggling to get them off because her ankle was still very swollen, "Oh, uh, yeah, umm, sorry if I...touch you weirdly."

Malena didn't have a choice, her pants were constricting her airflow, it felt like all the blood was moving to her injured ankle, giving it accelerated inflammation, "It's alright, I just need them off, it hurts when I do it myself."

Niall hesitated before moving to the bed, crouching down as he carefully placed his hands on top of her jeans, looking at her before moving his hands, "Is it okay?"

"Yeah, go ahead," she said, her voice faint and breathy. "It's fine."

Niall's fingers gripped her jeans as he averted his eyes from her midsection and kept them on her face instead. He tried to carefully pull the end cuff of her jeans through her feet, when he came to her ankle, he treaded precisely, making sure slip most of her jeans down her leg, so the bigger part could slide easier. He managed to get the other pant leg off before she reacted to the pain. He could tell she was holding it in, trying not to be affected by it.

"Everything's okay now, here, umm, I don't think you should be tucked in, umm..."

"I have shorts, they're in the bottom drawer. Can you get them?"

He nodded and went to her drawer, pulling out what looked like sleeping shorts, nothing too tight, and brought them over to her, "Here you go, uh, do you want me to help you?"

She nodded, "Alright."

Niall made his way over to the bed and did the same thing he did with taking off her pants only backward. This time, she made a big noise in pain, and he stopped.

"I'm sorry, I don't know how else to do this. Here, I have another idea."

He moved to carefully slide up one side of the shorts on her feet, then made certain to pay attention to the foot with her swollen ankle. No matter what, it was going to hurt, but the way he did it, he pulled the fabric through her feet and passed her ankle, instead of lifting it up, which he couldn't do. Success! He pulled up her shorts until they reached her hips, slowly meeting her eyes again.

"Thanks, guess it was still gonna hurt no matter what," she said, her breath fanning his face, which was mere inches away.

"Sure, sorry, I'm, uh, sorry," he stammered, moving away from her.

Even if her ankle felt awful, the rest of her body was shivering, when Niall moved away, the shivering turned into chilling. Her skin had goosebumps all over, she blushed, watching him go back to sit on the chair.

"You're good, I wouldn't have been able to do it." She said, her eyes, wandering around. "Where's Liz and Thomas?"

"Still out, they'll be back. Do you want me to let you rest until they get back?"

 _No_ , she thought, "Umm, I don't know, you don't have to."

Niall smiled, stifling a laugh, "Okay, I'll leave ya alone."

He got up and turned around, "Wait..." she said briskly.

Smiling, he turned around, raising his eyebrow, "Yeah?"

She rose up, her eyes pleading with him, "Stay, I want you to stay, please."

He took the chair closer to her and sat down, placing his elbows on his knees, leaning closer to her, "Alright then, I'm staying."

Malena leaned back and smiled thinly, "I'm sorry about before, outside, it's nothing to do with you. My mind was somewhere else."

He sighed, "Well, I'm right here. I won't judge ya. I'll just listen if ya want."

Malena shifted her eyes, she couldn't turn on her side like she wanted to, so she kept her eyes on the ceiling.

"It's my fault, I brought it with me. Thinking that leaving would solve everything. It's not, I don't know how I'm going to deal with this," she said, gritting her teeth at the vagueness of her words.

Niall tapped his fingers on his chin, "Well, I don't know what it is, but it might not sound like it's your fault, especially after the things you've said."

She crossed her arms over her chest, "I guess I can't really escape this, no matter how much distance I put myself from it. I'm sorry, I sound really out of it. I guess last night, it wasn't you, it was me. I couldn't stop thinking about it. I'm constantly reliving it."

She released her hand, letting it fall off the side of the bed. She felt it being held and looked at Niall gently taking it in his, holding it as he looked at her in compassion.

"You can trust me, Malena. I promise," he confessed, holding her eyes in his, noticing the grey shine mold with the shimmering blue he couldn't look away from.

She smiled sadly, "Maybe that's true."

"It is, love," he said, feeling his fingers lace with hers until he heard the front door open.

They pulled apart, "I'll go see to, uh, helping your Nan out."

Malena nodded, it's not like she could follow him, she was pretty much confined.

Niall stood up and exited her room to greet Liz, helping her with the groceries.

"Here, I got these, Malena is asking for ya," he said, taking the bags off Liz's hands.

"Oh?" Liz looked at him suspiciously, "Everything alright?"

It wasn't his place to say, "She needs ya," he nodded in the direction of her room.

Liz hurried to Malena's room, closing the door behind her.

Niall blew out a chunk of air and put away the groceries.

A minute later, Liz came out, shut the door, and calmly went to Niall who slowed down as he watched her.

"What happened, Niall?" Liz said, calmly but there was an air of ominous glare to her tone.

He swallowed, thinking fast, "It was me fault. I was calling to Malena, she slipped and fell. I'm so sorry, it was an accident. Let me know what I can do to help. Anything."

Liz tilted her head, looking at him deeply, "I'm just glad she's okay. Thankfully, I was a registered nurse back in my hay day, she'll be fine, just a sprain, should heal normally. Thank you for caring for her. She wanted me to tell you that."

Niall nodded, placing the last bag of food inside the fridge, "I'm really sorry, Liz."

"It's alright, sweetie. Thank you for helping her, I appreciate it," she said, touching his shoulder before disappearing into the bathroom to get a first aid kit.

Niall went to get a beer, ignoring the early morning as he sat on the couch, rubbing his face. Now what?

"Hey Kid," Thomas said from the back door. "Wanna come help paint the barn?"

Niall craned his head to Thomas, "Yeah, meet ya outside."

Thomas turned around. Niall stood up, downing the rest of his beer, tossing it in the trash, and found himself staring at Malena's door. Sighing, he took himself away and let Liz take care of her this time. It wasn't his job to protect her, he was going to let her family do it from now on.


	5. Chapter 5

* * *

The evening eventually came as Malena was mainly housebound. Her sprained was ankle wrapped by Liz, she hated being so helpless and bored for most of the day.

She laid in bed, barely watching some old movie on TV, feeling terribly alone at the moment. She was curious about what Niall was up to. Should she call for him? He probably won't hear her, why should he? She's more than likely scared him away with her antics, nearly giving herself away.

Should she trust him? She can't even trust herself, but she was slipping. Maybe tonight would be different, she wouldn't wake up in a night terror. It's not like she could ask Niall if he could sleep next to her. He wouldn't, that would be weird and she would be crazy to think to ask him. Maybe if she talked with Papa Tom, that's a start.

"Papa Tom!" She called out, but instead, Niall appeared in his place.

"You alright?" He asked, blue eyes curious.

Malena sat up, swinging her legs around carefully, "Yeah, where's my Grandfather?"

"He's in the barn. Want me to get him?"

She shook her head, "Actually, yeah, no wait, shit—it's raining," she said, looking outside at the start of the storm.

"Yeah, I can still get him if ya need him."

Malena sat up, rubbing her injured leg, it was beginning to fall asleep, "It's alright, knowing him, he'll stay out there in a monsoon. Thanks though."

Niall narrowed his eyes, about to leave but turned around, "You alright?"

"Not really," she sat up completely, her bandaged ankle feeling like a second skin. "I feel like I need to move around."

"Oh, do you want me to...?"

Malena pointed to the crutches leaning against her closet door, "I got it, I just needed to ask him something. Where's Liz?"

"Making dinner. Well, let me know if you need help."

She nodded, "Niall?"

"Hmm?"

"Can you bring them over?" she asked, pointing to the crutches. "I can hop, but, I should get used to them."

Niall brought them over and helped place them under her arms, "Here ya go, ya good?"

She shrugged, moving across the room, "Yeah, just wanna move around. Starting to get cabin fever."

Niall kept up with her, moving the door so she had enough room leading to the kitchen. Liz wasn't around, they were alone, maybe it was better that way. Liz would start in with her questions and Malena just wanted silence. Niall was good for that, he respected her privacy.

She sat at the kitchen table with a slight groan, Niall stared in her direction. Another a long moment he stared at her curiously.

"You alright?"

She nodded, giving him a thumbs-up, "Yup," she looked out the window. "It's really coming down out there. Where's Liz?"

She watched Niall turn on the kettle, "Think she's in her room, reading. Want me to get her?"

 _Why does he keep saying that?_ She thought, waving him off, "It's okay. As long as she's not outside in the pouring rain."

He nodded, gesturing to the whistling kettle, "Want a cup?"

"Okay, Chamomile sounds good," she said, moving her foot so she was more comfortable. No matter how she adjusted, she still felt the pain.

Niall carefully brought over two steaming hot cups of tea and took a seat opposite Malena, placing her cup in front of her, "Careful, love, piping hot."

"Thank you," She smiled sweetly, watching him sit down as he stared off in the distance.

His eyes danced along on the windowpane, the shimmering cobalt of his eyes watching the rain splashing against the glass.

"Getting strong out there, yeah?" He said, smiling softly.

"This is nothing. Storm season is just getting started. Floods tend to make the round the clock news."

"Christ. It's amazing that anyone, let alone a farmer, can work done in these conditions. I'm one to talk. Back home you need special greenhouses to get anything to grow during the winter when the sun coming out is sparse."

She blew on the rim of her mug before sipping, "Sounds unfortunate. It snows here, rarely though. Mostly we get frosty days and rainstorms. The sun eventually does come up, then comes the humidity, but that's only in the Summertime. It's not so bad. It's not icy Chicago."

Niall drank the rest of his tea and stared at her through his lashes, "Are you from there?"

This wasn't Liz but a stranger asking these questions, still, she felt a little cornered but gave him a response. He was harmless, she didn't owe him a full answer.

"No, umm, I was, well, _that_ was my old life. I was born here actually," she said, burying her face in her mug, sipping slowly.

Something about the way she said "old life" made him want to wrap his arms around her tightly, but he held back. "I hear the accent, it's not strong, but, it's there."

She blushed, been a while since anyone noticed anything positive about her, "I hadn't noticed. Don't know if that's a good or bad thing."

"Good thing, for sure," he said softly, holding her eyes in his. "I like it actually."

Malena's cheeks flushed hard, she blamed it on the warm tea but his words were igniting something within her, something she didn't know existed.

"Thank you...to be fair, I don't know anyone from Ireland. Actually, that's not true, Chicago is full of Irish people. Definitely seen them around. They just don't have accents like you."

Niall crooked an eyebrow, "Accent? I don't have an accent. What are ya talkin' about?"

She laughed gently, he followed after her, smiling at his small attempt to make her laugh. She wasn't used to it, it felt strange along with the other things she was feeling near him.

She cleared her throat, "So, why are you—"

"Oh? You're here?! Malena, I was going to bring you dinner," Liz said, interrupting the moment between them, moving to check on Malena's ankle.

"You shouldn't put weight on it, dear. It's still early in the healing process. Try to keep off it as much as you can," Liz said, rising up stroke Malena's cheek.

Malena nodded, "Sorry, just wanted to move around, I was just—"

"I asked Malena if she'd like to join me for tea. It was my idea, apologies," Niall said, chiming in to defend her before she continued.

Liz shared a look with Niall, narrowing her eyes at him, "Well, check with me first next time," she said with a sternness in her tone.

Malena looked at Niall with his mouth hanging open, wondering why he did it again. Defending her when she never asked him to. She gulped, watching him avoid her eyes as he stared at Liz with remorse.

Liz looked between Niall and Malena and walked back to the kitchen to check on dinner, "Niall, would you be a dear and carry Malena to the couch, make sure her ankle stays elevated, then would you please give me a hand in finishing dinner?"

He looked over to Malena, keeping his eyes on her as he nodded, "Sure thing."

He walked over and knelt in front of her, mouthing "sorry" to her before taking her securely in his arms, feeling her hands tentatively holding his neck. She leaned her head against his chest, feeling his warmth transfer over to her instantly. When he placed her over the couch, she brought him with her, keeping her hands around his neck.

"You didn't have to do that," she whispered.

"Yes I did, rather it be me than you."

She licked her lips, closing and opening her eyes, "You should go, Liz needs you."

Niall sighed as he felt her hands slip off his neck, feeling the instant chill from where her hands touched, "Right."

He pulled back and focused on carefully propping up her ankle, watching her face as she winced in slight pain, "Sorry, love. Let us know if you need anything, alright?"

 _Don't leave me_ , she thought, watching Niall put distance between them and all Malena wanted to do was call to him. But she kept quiet, ignoring that voice that wanted to have him near. She feared him at the same time, it made no sense. She was afraid of getting too close to him, close enough where his touches were out of his control, like Eric. But they are clearly two different people, Niall said so.

Wincing, she leaned back and shut her eyes before any tears fell. No, she wasn't going to break now. No one can know her secrets. Eric will eventually move on to abuse and torment someone else. He won't find her. He didn't know about her grandparent's place. She never told him unless he found out some way, he wasn't a stupid man, that's for sure.

She shook her head and rose to sit up, watching Niall set the dinner table. She stared at him as he looked over his shoulder, smirking at something Liz said, they laughed in unison. She longed to join in on his happiness, could she? Was it okay to let her past go?

She twitched her mouth, leaning back against the cushions. She placed her arm loosely above her head, staring up at the ceiling.

Her eyes were fading as she felt the back of someone's hand stroke her cheek. Her eyes opened to Niall who knelt next to her. Instinctively, she covered his hand over her cheek, not wanting him to remove it just yet.

"Dinner's ready, love," he whispered, smiling sweetly. "I can carry you. That alright?"

"Thank you," she spoke in a tone only he could hear. "I'm sorry I'm so much trouble."

He shook his head, pulling his hand back only to keep a hold on hers, he brought her hand to his neck, her other hand trailing behind, "Not at all, hold on tight, Liz and Thomas are outside, they'll be joining us in a moment."

Carefully, he carried her back to the table, placing her where she previously sat. As he pulled away he shared a look with her, still holding on to his neck. Blushing, she removed her hands and placed them in her lap. Niall pulled away too as he heard Liz Thomas walk in.

"Raining snakes and critters out there, I tell ya." Thomas said, looking to the table, "Oh, Malena, you're coming to join us now?" He asked, slightly alarmed as he hung up his coat and shook the droplets off his hair, Liz following close behind.

"Just wanted some air, I think it's okay. Liz said it was, don't wanna lay down all night," she shrugged, sharing a look with her grandparents.

"Suppose it's alright, Liz, let me help ya out," he said, walking over to the stove, picking up the pots and containers with hot food inside.

Niall sat next to Malena who stared forward, he avoided his staring when she caught him, looking away with a sheepish smile. She removed her hands from the table and placed them in her lap, feeling nervous. Feeling this way was wrong, she knew it, but, there was something gentle about Niall that she wanted to trust and that feeling was coming at her fast.

"Hmm? Sorry?" Malena asked, her eyes wide as she looked at Liz, asking her a question.

"Goodness, I asked if you wanted a bigger portion or are you not very hungry?" She asked her, gesturing to the ladle and plate.

"I guess, normal amount if that's okay?"

"Very well. Coming up."

Malena smiled softly, blushing as she felt Niall's eyes on her. He awkwardly turned around when Thomas took a seat at the head of the table.

Liz joined everyone at the table when she handed Niall his plate and placed hers on the placemat. "So...Niall, there's more if you want. Just wanted it to stay warm on the stove."

"Oh, I'm fine, thanks a lot." Niall nodded out of courtesy.

She smiled and watched Malena eat slowly, "You alright, darling?"

Liz made Malena's favorite meal but she was eating it like a bird, taking another gradual bite, "Yeah, it's just hot. Thanks, Gran."

"Well, there's no rush, of course. Take your time, honey."

Thomas looked at Malena, "If you're not hungry, let us know. We're not gonna force ya to eat, hon."

Malena's lip pressed in a line, Niall observed and stepped in.

"This is excellent, Liz. Very tasty. Think I might have more when I'm done with this one," he said, briefly catching Malena's eye.

She spoke "thank you" and looked away as Niall continued to engage in conversation off of her. Maybe he could sense she didn't want to explain herself, she was grateful for him defending her. She'd have to think of some way to make it up to him.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard Liz ask a cringe question.

"Niall, is there anyone special in your life right now?"

Malena looked at Niall's flushed cheeks as she looked down, feeling her blush creep up on her own cheeks. "Gran, that's—"

"It's okay," Niall said, holding Malena's gaze. "Actually, there isn't anyone right now. I'm focused on building my career at the moment. No one special, but me Mam."

Malena smiled as she watched him answer, somehow feeling relieved, eating another bite of her food.

"Oh, well, there aren't many people here, and I don't really know how long you will be staying. How long is the program?"

"I leave after New Year's when the quarter ends. Need to head back to University to finish my studies. I actually chose the longer program." Niall said, briefly looking at Malena.

Malena's eyes searched Niall's, wondering why he wanted to stay here longer than normal. It was none of her business, sure, but it still didn't make her less curious why he picked Nashville to spend his holidays. What was his story? She knew nothing about him, and she was going to do something about it.

* * *

After dinner, Liz retired to the study to read as Malena hopped over to the couch with Niall right behind her, waiting to assist her. She looked back as she leaned against him for support as she reached the crutches, helping her place each one under her arm.

"Thanks."

"Want me to help you to your room?"

She raised one of the crutches slightly, "No, that's what these are for."

"Oh, well, okay, I'll see ya around." He said, moving around her to help clean up the kitchen.

Malena hesitated before speaking, "Niall?"

He stopped loading the dishwasher, and stared up, "Mmm?"

"Uhm, I don't mean to take you away from what you want to do, I'm sorry, I..." she paused, watching him looking at her intently. "I guess, do you wanna join me in my room? I know I can't do much, but, I wouldn't mind the company."

He nodded, the corners of his mouth lifting, "Sure, I'll meet ya in your room after I finish up here. That alright?"

She nodded, blushing as she turned around, walking with crutches toward her room, opening the door, leaving it open.

She switched on the light and placed the crutches against her desk. She hobbled over to her bed, taking one of her throw pillows and doing her best to place it under her ankle.

She breathed through the searing pain, feeling like someone was pulling her tendons inside her skeleton. It was a graphic image and she tried not to think about how much it hurt just to lay down even in a slightly normal way.

She leaned back against the head of her bed and placed her hands over her eyes, "I hate my life..."

"Malena?" Niall called from the doorway. "Ya good?"

She removed her hands from her eyes and rose up, nodding in his direction, "Yeah, umm, are you sure you don't mind?"

He shook his head, moving to sit down on her desk chair, avoiding her bed to give her more room with her ankle. "How are you feeling?

She tried to sit up, with her back up against the wall, pillows behind it. She crossed her arms, shrugging with a sigh. "I don't like this, I _hate_ that I caused this. But I'm feeling as fine as I will ever be. Hopefully, it won't be long until I can walk normally again. Sorry, it's only been day one, and already I'm losing my mind."

She heard him roll his chair closer to her bed. She stared at him in pure guilt, frowning as her eyes wandered down.

"I share some fault in that."

She stared up, "No, it was me, my mind wasn't there. I used you as an excuse."

He shrugged, "I know why you did it."

She sighed, twitching her mouth, wanting to change the subject, "So what's your story?"

"Hmm?"

"Why are you here?" She said, almost rolling her eyes at how childish she sounded. "I mean, what made you come to Nashville?"

Niall leaned back in the chair, placing his arms behind his head, "Well, me Dad, actually. He said a lot of great things about life here. Said it was similar to the way Culchies lived back home in Mullingar, it's about an hour close to Dublin. As for Nashville, well, the city is pretty iconic, I'm curious about the downtown area. Wanna check out some of the nightlife when I have a free moment."

"I guess that's true. Never really thought of this place as special. Are you close with your Dad?"

"I am, he raised me when me parents divorced and Mam remarried. Lived with Mam for a year, me brother Greg and I chose to stay with Dad. Loved me childhood."

Malena leaned on her elbow, staring at him, "Must have been great, having a father, not everyone is as lucky I suppose."

Niall removed his hands from his head and leaned his elbows over his knees, "Yours was there for ya? Yeah?"

She shrugged, "Thomas was more of a father to me in the end. I left home too early. Maybe because I didn't want to be a burden for them to take care of."

His facial expression turned somber.

"I admit, I didn't see me mum as much, but I was never a burden to me parents. They were there for me when I needed them. Why would you think that you were a burden?"

Malena swallowed, feeling her eyes well up, keeping her eyes down, "I know I was. It's complicated."

Niall frowned, reaching out to touch her hand, holding it in his, "Family are never a burden to each other, never." Malena's eyes locked with his, seeing the tears fall freely down her cheeks. "Oh, love, it's okay..."

"It's fine, I'm fine, really..." she trailed off, her voice breaking.

She sat up, feeling very close to confessing everything to him at once, the secrets of her past eating her alive. She bit her lip, wiping her eyes. She felt Niall move closer to her as she sat up, ashamed of her emotions gaining control.

Niall got up when he saw more tears flow, and wrapped his arms around her in an embrace, feeling her body shake as he held her against him. She moved so he could have space to sit as he completely took her in his arms, her legs swinging off the edge while he carefully soothed her body against his.

He just held her, listening to her cry softly until she let it all out. There was more, he could tell, but she forced herself to stop for his sake. He suspected she didn't want to draw attention from being so loud. When she pulled away, she noticed their faces were inches apart.

"I'm sorry, I'm such a mess, you're not—I mean, you aren't supposed to forgive me."

"Why do I need to forgive you? You haven't done anything wrong, love. Come here..." he said, holding her delicately again.

Malena hugged him, almost sinking her face in the crook, smelling his scent. She sighed, wiping her eyes, sniffing as her emotions began to calm down.

"I wish I could tell you everything...I want to, I barely know you, and I want to tell you everything," she said, speaking her thoughts aloud.

"You don't have to, when you're ready, you will."

"I heard you say that to Liz, you mean it?"

"I do, here, let me slip these off," he said, pulling off his shoes. "Come lay with me."

Malena's eyes trailed to meet his, "I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't, I'm more worried about hurting _you._ Here, I'll lay first and you'll follow. I'll give ya plenty of space. That okay?"

"Alright, sorry I ruined your night."

"Hey, not much to do when it's raining. Don't worry about it, you didn't ruin anything for me."

He laid down on the edge and he held out his arms for her to lay on his side, "I got ya, love, no worries."

She nodded, leaning down to burrow herself on his side, feeling how warm he was, "Niall?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm a little cold."

He moved the covers over their bodies, being careful with her ankle, "Better?"

"Yeah, a lot, thanks."

Niall leaned back and almost pressed his lips to her forehead but held back, good thing she didn't see. "No problem."

Malena found her body began to drift off as she clung to him, sleep smothering her consciousness.

Niall was stuck. He might have taken things too far, getting this involved can only spell trouble, especially if her grandparents caught them. He'd definitely be sent home in a flash.

When he sensed her body loosening around his torso, he took that as his opportunity to maneuver slowly away from her completely. He pulled the covers over her and gave a final look, smiling at her relaxed face before turning off the light, grabbing his shoes, and leaving her room.

He shut the door and stopped in his position, feeling the trepidation of Thomas's hard staring.

"What are you doing?"

"I was just carrying her to bed, Liz asked me to," he justified.

"Uhuh, get to bed, we got an early morning rise, a full day of chores," Thomas commanded and turned around to disappear in his room.

Niall breathed a sigh in relief, he had to be more careful, now he was extremely against being Malena's caretaker. It wasn't his job and the more he made it his job, the closer he was to being kicked out entirely. He'd have to try harder to turn off his compassion when he was near her.

Maybe he could do with taking up more chores, filling up his schedule, and using his downtime to stay around Thomas more than Malena.

His heart tugged, he wasn't soulless, but he would have to be to make this work. Was he going to make it to the rest of the Winter? Not too late to put it to the rest.


End file.
